It has seriously been a decade, and I still watch or at least am amenable to more shows on CBS than any other network. I thought maybe this would be the year I finally lost or dropped more than I replaced, but apparently I just turned around and picked up another one.

Last night, post-NCIS: LA (which is too much for me to talk about coherently yet), I suffered through Madam Secretary for the first time -- and I do mean suffered, like there is a reason my instincts warned me away from this show, because political shows are like nothing on the planet in terms of dryness and boredom -- because the promos were like “who wants some Attractive Husband/Dad Tim Daly + his children being in danger action?" and I was like SIGN ME UP FOR THAT; I’m down with that plotline on literally any show.

I suffered a whole hour waiting for the good part, only for it to turn out that this was part of an ongoing storyline and every exciting thing that happened with the kids was in the promo.

Unfortunately, now I am pretty well hooked on the prospects of Attractive Devoted Husband Tim Daly, whom it turns out is ALSO some sort of well-mannered humanities professor who is passionate about the preservation of antiquities and yeah OK I’m pretty sure I need to overdose on everything his character has to give me.

Like, his fatherhood prospects are pretty good so far (A+ dealing with confrontrational teenage sons!) and I look forward to seeing them on full display when Acute Danger/Relief strikes, but WHAT GOOD HUSBANDING. So much support. So much casual low-key intimacy. So much lack of appearing frustrated or resentful about what has to be a really time-sucking and kind of unpredictable/possibly dangerous job ("bye honey, flying to Algeria to calm an international crisis").

And such good Teamwork Parenting; I have absolutely no interest in Tea Leoni (another reason I never gave this show a chance), but I am really impressed that this doesn't seem to be the kind of household where one parent is more present and the other just plays backup. They talk things through and come up with joint decisions and it is really pleasing and wonderful in a way I have not been exposed to on TV since Medium ended.

I am feeling dangerously like I need to either binge-watch this show or, more gratifyingly, just rip YouTube apart in my usual inelegant method of devouring the good bits. I can't even call it a shipping tour, because I plan to be completely uncivilized and not orient myself in chronology or the most basic Wiki background or anything.

ALSO, ALSO, apparently if that's not enough, this relationship is also real life because the actors are dating?? Damn, Tea, you know how to score in this town.

I can't believe I didn't know Tim Daly was on this show before now. I will and have tracked that dude basically everywhere else. Or did I know and just forgot? I just had a sudden memory flash of seeing him in promos before the show aired, and I feel like I deliberately shut it out because I assumed they would sacrifice her marriage in short order to The Demands Of The Job.

Update: I have wheeled through one Top Moments video and I already feel like I do not need quiiiiite this many bedroom scenes with minimal clothing, tame as they are, but mostly I'm just like akl;sdjfalskdjflaksjdflkajsdf the best, oh my god, how have you been hiding this in plain sight for 2+ seasons.

BRB gotta read all my old Private Practice posts & reminisce about Pete Wilder for a bit before I upgrade to the even better new character.

--------------In other news, during my limited Mental Relief Time, I have become obsessed with cockatoos on YouTube, specifically Gotcha and Max. I could watch Max throw fits all day. This a strange life turn. (but also: AMAZING! I have never cared about pet birds before in my life, but I love how versatile they are in using their beaks and claws to climb like tiny feathery monkeys)